Page 23 of Third Wheel

“Uh-huh. You mean like how when Uncle Mark told us that Jaime had come out as gay, Dad said he was happy to Uncle Mark, then as soon as he hung up the phone, he started shaking his head and talking about how hard that was going to be on everyone?”

Krista was silent for a long moment, which was not her normal modus operandi.

“I forgot about that,” she finally admitted.

Zach hadn’t. It had happened a week after he and Kincaid had started dating, and it was burned into his brain.

At the time, he’d told himself there was no point in telling his parents anyway because it wasn’t like he was sure it was going to stick.

That wasn’t the case anymore, but it didn’t make telling his parents any easier. They’d hung up a pride flag that June, but his dad still talked about his brother with pity for having a lesbian daughter.

“Remember how Mom asked Jaime and her girlfriend how they’re going to choose which of them is biologically related to the baby, and she didn’t stop to question whether or not Jaime and Leslie even want a baby? And when Jaime reminded her that they’d only been dating for a month, she said that she’d read online that that’s like a year in lesbian relationships?” It had all happened so fast, it had taken Zach and Krista that long to recover from their shock to intervene, much to his cousin and her girlfriend’s relief.

His mom had come back and apologized after a long talk with Krista, which Jaime and Leslie had been gracious enough to accept, but still. He could only imagine what kind of questions his mom would have for Kincaid if she found out he was more than Zach’s roommate.

“Okay, but Mom is going to do that regardless of who your partner is. Remember how when you were with Jill and I was single, she asked me when I was giving her a grandchild, and I told her to bother you since you actually were with someone, and I didn’t have a boyfriend? And she told me that I don’t need a boyfriend to give her a grandchild?”

Zach laughed as the light turned green.

“I’d forgotten about that,” he admitted. Sometimes, the things that came out of his mom’s mouth… No wonder he and Krista remembered different, slightly horrifying things. There was so much to choose from.

“Yeah, being straight isn’t going to stop the invasive questions,” she said dryly. “Trust me.”

“You have a point. But I feel like they’re a lot more invasive to anyone she doesn’t understand.”

“Well, you’re not wrong there.” Krista sighed. The car was silent as Zach made the final turn onto his street. “You do need to tell them, though. Mom’s been talking about trying her hand at matchmaking. Apparently, one of her friends has a very nice, newly single daughter who’s only a few years older than you.”

Groaning, Zach pulled into the left side of the driveway, making sure to leave room between his car and the garage door in case Amy decided she wanted to go out. He and Kincaid had insisted she put her car in the garage, in large part because neither of them wanted Noelle or Jeremy to drive by and see it there. Just in case they decided to come harass her some more.

If she took the garage spot, they’d never know whether she was home if they were watching. He wouldn’t put it past them. Assholes.

“I’ll tell them. Soon. I’m just waiting for the right moment.” It was the same thing he’d said to Kincaid multiple times now. Though Kincaid hadn’t asked again in the past couple of weeks.

Either he was leaving it entirely up to Zach, or he’d given up. Zach really, really hoped it was the former. Though, this week, it was understandable why Kincaid hadn’t asked. Maybe having Amy move in with them was enough of a distraction that he’d set the matter aside for now, which would give Zach a little more breathing room.

“Sometimes, you have to make the right moment.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m home now, so I’m hanging up. Talk later, bossy pants.”

“Good luck, kid.”

Zach chuckled as he ended the call. When they were kids, Krista had wanted to call him ‘squirt,’ just like the big sister in one of her favorite books. He’d balked, and they’d negotiated and then settled on ‘kid.’ It didn’t matter that he was now half a foot taller than her and an adult; the nickname had stuck. On days like today, it was both reassuring and made him long for a simpler time.

Walking into the house, he breathed in deep as he recognized the scent of Kincaid’s tomato sauce.Hell, yes.Whatever Kincaid was making, Zach was excited. Amy had been cooking for them all week, and she was a very good cook, but Kincaid’s tomato sauce was his favorite. He also wanted Amy to take a break. She’d been keeping herself busy all week, which he understood, but she also needed some downtime.

He was starting to worry that she was avoiding her feelings by burying herself in housework.

“Something smells good,” he said, dropping his briefcase next to the door and heading into the kitchen. Kincaid looked up from where he was standing, butterflying some chicken breasts, and grinned.

“Someone looks good.” Kincaid winked at him. Laughing, Zach rounded the peninsula counter and went in for a kiss. Because his hands were full of raw chicken and a knife, Kincaid couldn’t put his arms around him, which meant Zach’s hands were free to roam while they kissed.

“Is Amy here?” Zach murmured, keeping his voice low just in case she was.

“Taking a shower.” Kincaid leaned over to nip at Zach’s earlobe as he pulled away, though Zach left his hands on Kincaid’s hips, standing behind him.

They hadn’t had sex all week. They’d been too distracted by Amy’s presence. Zach had been too worried she might need him—them—in the middle of the night.

But the week had gone by, and she’d slept through every night without a problem since those first two. He didn’t need to feel guilty about wanting intimate time with his boyfriend.

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